This is the magic of Freyja and I am her völva: a seer, priestess and oracle.

Sharing wisdom taught by the Norse Gods over twenty years of practice, I teach safer seiðr / seidhr (Norse trance work and fate-magic), reverent animism, and deeper workings with the Gods and land spirits through respect for all life and peoples. We'll also explore the wider Eurasian influences on central and northern European religion, including Norse, Slavic, Celtic, Baltic, Siberian, Mediterranean and ancient Indo-European beliefs and discuss how to apply them to contemporary practice.

Autumn Hymn to Freyr & some similarities between Slavic & Norse Myth

I wrote this hymn around the autumn equinox, for a ritual to Freyr at a far northern latitude where the leaves had already turned and the lake was skinning with ice, as farmers were pulling in the last harvests. It's meant to welcome the Norse God Freyr (Baltic & Slavic "Yarilo/Jarilo"; also called "St. John/Ian" and "Caloian") as the harvest Lord, and say farewell to him with the change in seasons.

Autumn Hymn to Freyr

Hail Freyr, golden King Lord of green and growing things!

He who gives us rain and sun, life and peace for everyone

Son of Njordh and Nerthus, too Gerda's love, we welcome you!

Spoken:

*Hail Freyr, Lord of the Vanir King of elves and men Lord of the land and Lord of the harvest He who is slain each year and is reborn: Ingvi, Frodi, Shining One, Lord Be welcomed here and bless us with your presence.

While there is no direct Norse tale I know of that discusses Freyr's seasonal death, in Polish lore the young God Jarilo is slain by his sister and wife, Vesna, who becomes the lonely old goddess of winter and death, Moranna, mourning him. Jarilo and his regenerative power returns to the underworld from which he came, to awaken again in the spring. His marriage brings peace between rivals (like Freyr, who marries the giant maiden Gerd). He is also associated with a white horse in festival processions.

Americans still haven't celebrated our secular harvest holiday yet (Thanksgiving)-- which marks the unofficial change from autumn to winter, even if the official shift falls on the Solstice. So I think it's still appropriate to honor Freyr, especially at lower latitudes. My next post will cover: Autumn Offerings to Freyr: Heathen Harvest Lord.

Shirl Sazynski is a priestess trained directly by Frey, Odin and Freyja. She is passionately committed to returning the Gods' magical and spiritual wisdom to our awareness, healing the rift between us and our ancestors and strengthening our friendship with the Gods, the land and the spirits sharing our world.

Her column, "One-Eyed Cat", runs in Witches and Pagans Magazine and she also writes as /@Modern_Volva on Medium. An oracle, icon painter and author, her work has appeared in both popular and pagan media.